This marks the third year for Teach for America in Southwest Ohio and Northern Kentucky. Organizers say this year’s teachers are the most racially diverse, filling one of their goals of bringing teachers of color into high-need, high-minority schools.

Teach for America is a national teacher training program. It recruits top students from colleges and universities, puts them through a teaching boot camp and places them in the nation’s highest-need schools.

Law changes allowed the program to come to this region for the first time three years ago. Collectively termed the Southwest Ohio Corps, the teachers are placed in schools in Cincinnati; Dayton, Ohio; Covington; and Newport.

This year, 51 percent of the Southwest Ohio Corps members identify as people of color. That compares with 9 percent of all teachers in Ohio and 25 percent of students. One of TFA’s goals is to close that gap.

Cincinnati Public Schools Superintendent Mary Ronan said the program is part of Cincinnati’s effort to “open the doors of opportunity for each and every student,” she said. “We know that when educators bring a wide range of experiences and perspectives, engage closely with families, and invest deeply in their communities, students thrive.”

Some of the teachers will work at charter schools – Lighthouse Community Schools and Mt. Healthy Fitness and Preparatory Academy in Cincinnati, and Dayton Early College Academy, Dayton Leadership Academy, North Dayton School of Discovery in Dayton and Dayton Smart Bilingual Academy.

They are also working with the Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission and are teaching early childhood education at Cincinnati Early Learning Centers, Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Orion Academy, Impact Academy, Alliance Academy and Miami Valley Child Development Center.